The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
by Christian Alice
Summary: When Sirius Black is saved from Azkaban shortly after his incarceration by an unlikely person, Harry Potter’s life is changed forever. Dark!Harry - semi-permanent Hiatus
1. Prologue

**Title:** The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

**Summary: **When Sirius Black is saved from Azkaban shortly after his incarceration by the most unlikely of people, Harry Potter's life is changed forever. Dark!Harry

**Warnings:** Violence, Sexual Situations, Mental Instability, Possible Slash, Character Deaths…

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any other settings, characters, or storylines presented in the books written by J.K. Rowling. Any original ideas presented in this story not attached to the copyright of Harry Potter are mine. 

**Notes:** Man, it has been such a long time since I've written fan fiction. This one sort of came to me in the shower a few nights ago. Good times, good times.

The prologue makes it out to be a story about Sirius, but in truth, Sirius will be a minor after this chapter. This was just written to set the scene, and show how Harry's life was changed so drastically. Next chapter will be the real beginning of the story.

**Prologue: It Makes All the Difference**

The floors of the Ministry holding cell were filthy. The cold concrete was hidden under layers of blood and excrement. No one bothered to clean the cells because if you were in there, you deserved it. However, the Ministry has been known to make many "mistakes" before.

Sirius Black was one of those mistakes.

No longer was he the vibrant, charismatic man of a few weeks ago. Sirius was a broken man.

Sirius was possibly the most hated man in the nation right now. He was accused of being Voldemort's right-hand-man and leading to the death of the Potters. The people didn't care whether he was innocent or not, they just needed a scapegoat, and he was the perfect candidate.

Still, deep within himself, Sirius hoped that someone would believe in him. That is how he mustered the strength to walk into the court room.

A mass of the most influential wizards and witches of England were at his "trial". It was more like a mob scene. The moment he entered the room yelling and screaming erupted. His former friends, his fellows from the Order, everyone was spitting and screaming at him. There had not been one person who actually believed in him. Perhaps the worst of all of them was Dumbledore.

Sirius had never seen such disappointment and hatred in the man's eyes before. Sirius knew that if Dumbledore didn't believe in him, then no one would. That is when his world started to crumble.

Sirius didn't hear the sentencing. He didn't need to. Sirius Black knew that his life was over, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The aurors took their time taking revenge on him when they got back to the holding room. Sirius really didn't care anymore. His lack of reaction just infuriated the men even more. A shattered knee cap, a broken jaw... he was just a blood mass by the time they left.

---

Sirius came to find out that rotting in Azkaban gives you a lot of time to think. Granted, most of those thoughts are dreadful and dark, but you do have a lot of time to think about them.

With the lack of happy memories, all Sirius had left to think about was the betrayal of his friends and colleagues. Dementors can't touch those thoughts.

As the months went on Sirius dwelled on how quickly everyone he knew turned on him. How, after everything he had done in the name of the Light, everyone instantly believed that he was a Death Eater.

With each passing day, Sirius Black fell deeper and deeper into an abyss of despair and hatred until he became a twisted form of what he once was. He knew that no one was coming to help him, so all that there was left to do was to wallow in hatred.

One day in early summer (not that you can tell things like that from within Azkaban) a decrepit old woman came to visit Sirius.

It was his mother.

"Sirius Orion Black! You stupid fool! Only mudbloods are more imbecilic that you! Blacks do not get caught!"

Sirius stared at her. Somehow in her delirium, she had come to believe the stories of the newspapers.

"I must admit that even I believed that you had become a blood-traitor. When I heard that you were caught after the betrayal of those muggle-loving fools, then I knew why you had left for so long. I always knew that it was impossible for a Black to change his heritage! At least, none of my sons were capable of it, of that I made damn sure!"

Sirius continued to gape. He knew that she had become slightly crazed after an accident with an ancient blood potion, but she was downright insane right now.

Mrs. Black leaned forward with a twisted grin on her face. "That's why I have come to get you out of this hell hole. No Black deserves to waste his precious life away in a prison!" She turned around and made a motion with her hand. An old man whom Sirius had never seen before stepped forward into the light. She took out a vial of Polyjuice potion from her pocket.

The switch was surprisingly easy, the man who had been posing as Mrs. Blacks medical assistant (with the help of the imperius curse) turned into Sirius and Sirius turned into him. The two Blacks were safely at home by the time Mrs. Black made the order for the man to strangle himself.

And just like that, Sirius Black was free.

---

Sirius had been changed by the betrayal of his friends and the time he spent in Azkaban. He had become a little closer to the thin line between sanity and insanity. It was only to be expected after months of being surrounded by Dementors. However, this didn't mean that he had turned into a cruel man, just a different one.

His over-protectiveness of Harry had never ceased. After weeks of looking through some older newspaper articles he had finally found what he was looking for, the identification of Harry's current guardians. Sirius was disgusted with what he saw.

The Dursleys. Sirius had been there once with James and Lily shortly after graduation. They were some of the most frighteningly awful people Sirius had ever met, and Dumbledore had placed his Godson there?

That day Sirius decided that he would rescue his Godson from those evil people.

It hadn't been as hard as he thought it would be. The wards around Harry's house were tuned to keep out anyone who meant Harry harm or who were on a "watch list" created by the Ministry. That meant that Sirius couldn't get any further than number eight Privet Drive. So he waited until Petunia left with the kids to go to the grocery store.

While at the store it was easy to see how much Petunia hated Harry. If he found anything that made him happy, she would glare at him until he cowered. By the end of the trip, Sirius was furious. As soon as Petunia had her back turned, Sirius grabbed Harry and disapparated.

It was the happiest day of Petunia Dursley's life.


	2. Chapter 1: Letters

**Title:** The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or any scenes, places, or characters written in the books about him. I have made no profit from this story, and mean no copyright infringement.

**Warnings:** Sexual situations, Violence, Rape… Character deaths…possible implied slash.

**Notes:** The amount of times I have rewritten this chapter… ugh. Whereas before I wasn't really sure about what I was doing, I now have everything pretty much planned. Hopefully the wait won't be quite as long for the next chapter.

**Chapter One: Letters**

A large black owl swept into the great hall of Hogwarts during dinner. Many eyes fell upon it as it soared towards the head table, straight towards the headmaster. Regally, the owl landed, knocking over his stew.

Dumbledore eyed the owl carefully and casted a few revealing charms on the letter cluched in its claw. Nothing deadly or harmful appeared, and so he relinquished the owl of its burden. It took the cue, and swooped away.

The envelope was entirely black aside from the name Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore written in elegant silver handwriting on the front, and a green wax seal on the back that he couldn't make out.

He peeled off the wax seal and slid out the black paper that felt almost silky to the touch. He unfolded the paper and his eyes widened slightly at the contents.

_Lord Albus Percival Wulfric Brian of the Benevolent and Most Ancient House of Dumbledore,_

_Out of respect for my father's last wishes, I have decided to contact you. Although I do not agree with his forgiveness of you, I have acquiesced to his wishes._

_For years I have been watching your actions in the great second war. While I have no great love of you, or our floundering ministry's policies, I also have no wish for the Dark Lord to create chaos. My father and I have been neutral for many years. It is time for this to no longer be so._

_I have come to the decision to take action. However, I do not intend to become any sort of _servant_ for your cause or the Dark Lord's. I am willing to reach a compromise. _

_It now begs the question; do you have enough cunning to deal with a Black?_

_I await your response._

_Lord Christian Regulus James of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black_

Standing up abruptly Dumbledore gathered the note and the envelope and swiftly left the hall. Whispers erupted behind him.

---

Number twelve Grimmauld Place was a grim household. Black curtains marred the walls, and there was forever a smell of mustiness. Of death.

Christian Black had always loved the house nevertheless. It was the place where he had grown up. The old house held some of his most treasured memories, and some of his most frightening.

Growing up a Black is not an easy task, but if you survived the brutalities then you are much stronger for it. That is why the family Black has survived throughout the generations. They have never forgotten the old traditions, and yet still manage to adapt to the new.

The Black's are powerful and cunning, and that is why they have endured.

_Until now._ Christian couldn't help but think as he walked through the dank corridors. _But I'm going to change all of that._

Christian made his way to the sun porch and sat down in one of the antique chairs. Snapping his fingers he ordered for the house-elf. Moments later it popped into existence, waiting to serve. Christian had always hated the decrepit elf, and had been wishing for its death for years. Soon enough it would join its relatives on the wall.

Sipping on the newly supplied Earl Grey he stared out at the sky, waiting for the reply he knew was coming. Perseus, his messenger had already returned, having delivered its bundle.

Now all he had to do was wait for Dumbledore to make the next move. Then the game would begin.

--

Albus Dumbledore was at a loss.

He didn't get into such a state very often anymore, having found wisdom and maturity in his age. However the letter in front of him was both puzzling and unexpected. There was much to think about before he replied.

Apparently the Black line was no longer as dead as everyone had thought. Just that very aspect of the letter made no sense. The last two heirs of the Blacks had been Regulus and Sirius. Regulus had been killed by Voldemort and Sirius had died in the pits of Azkaban.

And yet somehow there was an heir; an heir who was considering helping the side of the light.

Maybe.

Too many things didn't add up. He would have to meet this new heir in his own terms. There was something suspicious about the whole thing. Something that just didn't ring true and Dumbledore wasn't going to be caught off guard.

Yes, he knew just the way to handle the situation. And maybe, something good could come of it.

--

A large brown barn owl flew tapped on the window of Christian's study. Dumbledore's response had finally come.

Christian took the letter from the plain owl, sneering at it when it refused to move. Apparently it knew nothing of proper etiquette and wanted the biscuits sitting on a plate in the middle of the desk. Christian sneered again and tossed a biscuit at its head, startling the bird and making it fly out the window.

He opened the letter carefully a peered at the contents.

_Christian Regulus James of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black,_

_I have received your letter with great surprise. I must admit that I was not aware that any of the heirs Black had survived the last war. It has pleased me deeply to hear of your family's continuing survival._

_There is much that we need to discuss in order to form a compromise as you put it. I think that in order to best do this we will need to meet. I have decided that the best place would be on neutral grounds, and where better than the land where our ancestors used to reach formal agreements. I believe that you know of the location. You may set the time._

_As for the other contents of your letter, I would like to mention that the light side does not have servants. Everyone who I lead chooses to follow me with their own free will for the better of the country._

_Truly,_

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian of the Benevolent and Most Ancient House of Dumbledore._

It was everything that Harry had wanted. Everything was falling into place, and now all he had to do was set the day. Soon the burden his father had put on him would be finished, and he could live his own life.

Or so he thought.


End file.
